Effect date of bylaws

[Guest Celestine]

Can the assembly make the effect date of bylaws retroactive imposing an increase in dues?

[Richard Brown]

From a parliamentary standpoint, perhaps.  I'm not aware of a specific prohibition, but it would be unusual.  You might have legal problems and general unrest from the membership if you try to impose something retroactively.  Perhaps even revolt.

Edited to add:  Keep checking back.  Someone might know abot a parliamentary prohibition that I'm not aware of.

A one time assessment might be another way to solve the problem.  Then make the dues increase  effective with the next membership year.

Edited January 12, 2017 at 12:00 AM by Richard Brown
Added the last two paragraphs

[Kim Goldsworthy]

5 hours ago, Guest Celestine said:

Can the assembly make the effect date of bylaws retroactive

imposing an increase in dues?

In general, yes, retroactive motions are allowed.

Such a motion is done all the time to correct errors which took away credits or seniority from members due to a bookkeeping errors or clerical errors which were not the fault of the poor victimized member.

***

Funny, we just had a thread like this.

An organization pondered,

• "What would happen if we set dues annually, by motion, and we 'forget' to adopt a motion for the new year, and it is already past January 1st?"

In my hypothetical example, when the board meets in Februrary, the board will likely adopt a motion worded similarly to this:

• "As of January 1, 2017, dues shall be fixed at $N.NN."

Retro-actively!